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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mouse · temple · board · bark · root · safe · trunk · firm

  1. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. trunk — of an elephant
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. root — of a word
  4. board — to get on
  5. temple — side of the head
  6. root — of a plant
  7. board — a committee
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. board — a flat piece
  12. root — the cause
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. firm — decided
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. firm — steady
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. bark — of a tree
  23. firm — a company
  24. bark — to shout

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com